Methods, apparatus and systems for generating accuracy-annotated searchable electronic records of underground facility locate and/or marking operations
First Claim
1. A method for generating an accuracy-referenced electronic record of a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician, the method comprising:
- A) digitally representing, on a display device, a location of at least one underground facility and/or at least one physical locate mark so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation as performed by the locate technician, the locate and/or marking operation comprising;
receiving a locate request ticket identifying a dig area, wherein a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities; and
in response to the locate request ticket, locating, and/or identifying using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area identified in the locate request ticket;
B) digitally representing, on the display device, an accuracy of the represented location using at least one accuracy indicator overlaid on the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate an accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation; and
C) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate the accuracy-referenced electronic record of the locate and/or marking operation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Generating an accuracy-referenced electronic record of a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician. The locate and/or marking operation comprises locating and/or identifying, using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities. A location of the at least one underground facility and/or the at least one physical locate mark is electronically rendered on a display device so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation. An accuracy of the represented location is digitally represented on the display device using at least one accuracy indicator overlaid on the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate an accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation. Information relating to the accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation is electronically transmitted and/or stored so as to generate the accuracy-referenced electronic record of the locate and/or marking operation.
370 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A method for generating an accuracy-referenced electronic record of a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician, the method comprising:
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A) digitally representing, on a display device, a location of at least one underground facility and/or at least one physical locate mark so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation as performed by the locate technician, the locate and/or marking operation comprising; receiving a locate request ticket identifying a dig area, wherein a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities; and in response to the locate request ticket, locating, and/or identifying using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area identified in the locate request ticket; B) digitally representing, on the display device, an accuracy of the represented location using at least one accuracy indicator overlaid on the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate an accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation; and C) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate the accuracy-referenced electronic record of the locate and/or marking operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-readable storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processing unit, perform a method for generating an accuracy-referenced electronic record of a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician, the method comprising:
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A) digitally rendering, on a display device, a location of at least one underground facility and/or at least one physical locate mark so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation as performed by the locate technician, the locate and/or marking operation comprising; receiving a locate request ticket identifying a dig area, wherein a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities; and in response to the locate request ticket, locating, and/or identifying using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area identified in the locate request ticket; B) digitally rendering, for display on the display device, an accuracy of the represented location using at least one accuracy indicator overlaid on the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate an accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation; and C) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate the accuracy-referenced electronic record of the locate and/or marking operation.
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26. An apparatus for generating an accuracy-referenced electronic record of a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication interface; a display device; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and
a processing unit coupled to the communication interface, the display device, and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit;A) controls the display device to display a location of at least one underground facility and/or the at least one physical locate mark so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation as performed by the locate technician, the locate and/or marking operation comprising; receiving a locate request ticket identifying a dig area, wherein a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities; and in response to the locate request ticket, locating., and/or identifying using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area identified in the locate request ticket; B) controls the display device to display an accuracy of the represented location using at least one accuracy indicator overlaid on the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate an accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation; and C) controls the communication interface and/or the memory to electronically transmit and/or electronically store information relating to the accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate the accuracy-referenced electronic record of the locate and/or marking operation. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for generating an accuracy-referenced electronic record of a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician, the method comprising:
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A) electronically receiving first geographic information from at least one location tracking system regarding a location of at least one underground facility and/or at least one physical locate mark; B) based at least in part on the first geographic information received in A), digitally representing, on a display device, the location of the at least one underground facility and/or the at least one physical locate mark so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation as performed by the locate technician, the locate and/or marking operation comprising; receiving a locate request ticket identifying a dig area, wherein a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities; and in response to the locate request ticket, locating., and/or identifying using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area identified in the locate request ticket; C) electronically receiving second information from the at least one location tracking system regarding an accuracy of the represented location; D) based at least in part on the second information received in C), digitally representing, on the display device, the accuracy of the represented location using at least one accuracy indicator overlaid on the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate an accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation; and E) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing third information relating to the accuracy-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation so as to generate the accuracy-referenced electronic record of the locate and/or marking operation. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53)
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Specification